September 15, 2026 UPDATE
A roundup of domestic and international news
Newsroom, 15.09.2026, 20:00
Protest. Tuesday’s unauthorised protest by sheep farmers in the capital was marred by violence, and the gendarmerie intervened with tear gas after several participants forced their way through the gendarmerie cordon and threw stones and blunt objects. Several dozen people required medical attention, including members of the gendarmerie. Several people were arrested and taken in for questioning over acts of violence, according to representatives of the Gendarmerie, who had called for a peaceful protest while also urging participants to distance themselves from acts of violence. Indeed, representatives of the sheep farmers distanced themselves from the violent acts committed by those individuals. The protesters are dissatisfied with the ban on live sheep exports, as well as with the way in which outbreaks of sheep plague are being managed. In a statement, the acting Prime Minister, Ilie Bolojan, announced that he had taken note of the demands submitted on Tuesday to the Government by the ‘Professional Association of Shepherds – APC’. The statement also reads that it is worth noting that no representative association of farmers from the sheep-rearing sector took part in Tuesday’s protest. The Government has called for calm and an end to the violence. President Nicuşor Dan also called for reason and responsibility. “I strongly condemn such actions and any attempt to turn a legitimate protest into street fighting,” said Nicuşor Dan.
IAEA. Acting Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu is attending the 70th session of the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), running through Friday. According to the Foreign Ministry in Bucharest, Oana Țoiu will use her plenary address to reaffirm Romania’s steadfast commitment to promoting the peaceful, safe and responsible use of nuclear energy in compliance with international standards. Her official agenda includes a bilateral meeting with IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi to discuss nuclear non-proliferation matters. The Romanian delegation also features representatives from the Ministry of Energy and key nuclear sector institutions.
Security. Twelve member states, including the Baltic and Nordic nations, Germany, Poland, Greece and Romania, have urged the European Union to commit adequate resources aligned with shifting geopolitical realities to reinforce its engagement in the Arctic region. Speaking earlier this week at a summit hosted by Finland, President Nicușor Dan emphasized the need for a coherent and unified approach to managing security challenges across the entire corridor stretching from the Arctic to the Black Sea, noting that these regional security dynamics are deeply interconnected.
Investment. Net investments in the Romanian economy reached approximately 20 billion Euro during the first half of 2026, marking an 11.9% increase in real terms compared to the same period in 2025, according to data released by the National Statistics Institute. In the second quarter alone, net investments experienced a real-term year-on-year growth of 17.8%. The construction and industrial sectors attracted the highest volume of investment capital.
Gas. The fill rate of Romania’s natural gas storage facilities currently stands at approximately 76.26 per cent, equivalent to around 2.43 billion cubic metres of gas, which is above the European Union average of 68.26 per cent, according to a statement from the Ministry of Energy. According to the statement, Romania’s target is to reach a storage level of 80 per cent by 1 October. On Tuesday, the Energy Command meeting dedicated to the natural gas sector took place. ‘Preparations for the winter of 2026–2027 are taking place against a challenging European backdrop, marked by a sharp rise in natural gas prices and lower stock levels than in previous years,’ the press release states.
Survey. Nine out of ten Romanians (87%) remain pessimistic regarding the country’s economic outlook, with citizens expressing a more negative perception of both their personal incomes and their employers compared to last year, according to a study released on Tuesday in Bucharest. Regarding public confidence in key institutions, measured on a scale from 1 to 7, the healthcare system saw the most notable improvement, climbing from 3.6 to 4.0. The banking sector also recorded gains in public trust. Conversely, the justice system experienced the sharpest drop, falling from 3.4 to 3.1, while the Church also lost considerable ground. Meanwhile, public confidence in Parliament, political parties, and local administration experienced slight further declines. Entitled “Consumer Sentiment Romania” and built on data gathered over the past three years, the study was conducted on a quarterly sample ranging between 1,000 and 2,486 respondents, maintaining a margin of error of +/-3.1%.
Volleyball. Romania’s men’s national volleyball team triumphed over Türkiye with a 3–1 set score in Cluj-Napoca during their fourth match of the European Championship, co-hosted from September 9 to 26 by Italy, Bulgaria, Finland, and Romania. Earlier in Group D play, Romania suffered close losses to Latvia (3–1) and Germany (3–2), but secured a decisive 3–1 victory against Switzerland. On Wednesday, the Romanian volleyballers will face France in Cluj-Napoca for their final group-stage fixture. Germany currently leads the group standings, closely followed by France and Romania, with the top four teams advancing to the round of 16.
UEFA. The UEFA Executive Committee decided on Tuesday to award the 2028 UEFA Europa League final to Bucharest, with the match to be held on National Arena stadium, the Romanian Football Federation (FRF) announced. FRF President Răzvan Burleanu noted that securing the rights to host the final is a clear sign of continued trust from UEFA. The National Arena previously hosted the Europa League final in 2012, a memorable match in which Atlético Madrid defeated Athletic Bilbao 3–0.
